


Opposites from Afar

by Misaki_0415



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Again the main route is LevYaku uwu, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, College, Continuation of 'When Opposites Collide', Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Haikyuu-freeform, I love you guys you guys are amazing iwi, Jealousy, Kissing, LevYaku being adorable, LevYaku-Freeform, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Separations, Temporarily Long Distance, Tsunderes, Volleyball, sugamama always there to give life advice lmao
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-01
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:14:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 16,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26234719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Misaki_0415/pseuds/Misaki_0415
Summary: (A CONTINUATION OF 'When Opposites Collide')It has been almost a year since the confession, and Yaku has to......leave Japan for a volleyball game?! They had to deal with a short period (if you count a few weeks as 'short') of time being apart. Nonetheless, their relationship stayed strong....right?(Here we have two idiots hopelessly in love as Lev realizes how terrible it was to be apart from Yaku ;-;)(And how wrong the people were when they said 'the further the distance, the longer the time apart, the easier to forget' because their feelings for each other got even stronger)(I hope y'all can stay with me until the end again iwi you guys are the best I can't even— (grovels gratefully)
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou, Haiba Lev/Yaku Morisuke, Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou, Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi
Comments: 10
Kudos: 49





	1. Slipped away

**Author's Note:**

> Okay first of all SHOUTOUT TO MY FRIEND TOFURAMEN :D honestly I wouldn't even be here if it weren't for you (you literally gave me the exact nudge and support I needed every time—) ;-; and I would have been holed up in my room like some emo child just staring at the ceiling or whatsoever and I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL (dead serious eyes)  
> second of all, I would have gifted this story to TofuRamen BUT I didn't because I wanted it to be a gift to ALL OF YOU :D LIKE SERIOUSLY. ;-; Y'ALL GAVE ME SO MUCH SUPPORT AND LOVE I CAN'T EVEN— Y'all just motivate me so much ;u; y'all are so wholesome I feel so blessed ;u;  
> and again, THANK YOU SO SO MUCH FOR CLICKING IN ;u; Your support means so so much to me and I HOPE YOU ENJOY READING IT! >w<

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lev hurried home to tell Yaku about his perfect grades, sure that he'd be elated.....only to be greeted with an unwelcoming surprise.....

\----------------------------------------------

_Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap!_

Sounds of hurried footsteps disturbed the hushed neighbourhood, as the bushes sitting nonchalantly by the pavement waved breezily, the leaves rustling as Lev rushed by. It was Yaku's favourite time of the year again—the cherry blossom season. The cherry blossom petals danced and fluttered in the breeze, carefree as ever, as they watched Lev rush off in the direction of his house. Lev had his graded essay papers in hand as he excitedly ran all the way home from campus. 

It has almost been a year since the night they whispered their love for each other in the moonlit room. Although they seemed to be a weird pair—Cheegle Ekaterinburg's libero and a part-time model at a modeling agency, not to mention the height difference they had; they didn't mind the weird looks they got from random passersby whenever they went outside hand in hand, fingers intertwined. They had each other; and that was more than enough.

Lev brimmed with bubbling elation as his house came to sight. He wished he could run faster—even faster, but his legs were taking him at maximum speed already.

_Yaku san!_

He couldn’t wait—Yaku would be incredibly elated when he saw his papers.

“YAKU SAAAAN!!!! LOOK AT MY PERFECT GRADES!!!!” Lev bursted into the room, waving his S graded papers in the air happily. Yaku, who had an apron around his waist and a plate of oinarisan in his hand, jumped at the sudden bang, but soon broke into a smile.

“Lev, that’s amazing!!! I’m so proud of you.”

Lev eyed Yaku with caution. Usually, Yaku would have bonked him before saying anything for making such a loud noise. Likewise, for some reason.....his tone and smile sounded a little bit.....forced.

“Yaku san? What’s wrong?” Lev peered into his face.

“A-Ah? Nothing....I-I just got a B on my assignment, that’s all....” Yaku bit his lip and turned away from Lev. Lev gasped. A-A _B_ _?!_ Impossible! Yaku never got anything lower than a S—his grades were literally _perfect._ He was a literal 'walking answer key'. Even the professors in college looked up to him and had scientific discussions with him—which was not an everyday sight. Did he fall asleep while writing? Or did he miss an important keyword? Maybe he used a green pen instead of a blue or a black pen? Or—

Suddenly, a pang of guilt hit Lev. _Of course_ Yaku felt uncomfortable. Yaku always got top grades—getting a B must have shocked him. And Lev just had to rub it in with his S graded papers.

_Darn it! I must have hurt Yaku san’s pride. Ugh, I’m so stupid!!!_

Lev sighed as he stuffed his papers back into his bag before setting it down on a nearby chair. He plopped down on the sofa and loosened his tie, only to greet a pair of hazel eyes peeking from the kitchen, staring at him intensely. As soon as their eyes met, the pair of hazel eyes immediately vanished from sight. He headed towards the kitchen, only to find Yaku sitting on the floor, leaning on the fridge, as he clamped his hand over his mouth, blushing a deep shade of pink.

“Yaku san, what were you—”

“SHUT UP I WASN’T LOOKING AT YOU YOU SEXY SKYSCR—I MEAN STUPID SKYSCRAPER!!!!!” Yaku blushed harder as he got up and shoved Lev out the kitchen door. “EAT THE DARN OINARISAN OKAY DINNER WILL BE READY SOON—” _Slam!_ And with that, the kitchen door slammed shut.

“E-Eh???” Lev stood there in confusion, not knowing what in the world had just happened, before heading towards the dining table and munched on his oinarisan quietly, the perplexed look on his face never leaving him.

...

“Thank you for the meal!” Lev bowed his head with gratitude before digging in. He couldn’t decide what to eat first—all his favourite dishes were on the dining table—it was so hard to choose! Lev eyed the savoury dishes with famished eyes—but something felt off. He glanced at Yaku, who was absent-mindlessly poking at his bowl of rice, his mind somewhere else. Lev scooped up a spoonful of mashed potatoes and placed it in Yaku’s bowl.

“Yaku san, try it! It’s really sweet!”

“Huh? Okay....” Yaku lifted the mashed potatoes with his chopsticks and shoved it in his mouth. “Hmm..yeah...sweet...”

_Yaku san, that’s mashed potatoes! It’s not sweet; it’s salty!!!_

“Yaku saaaaan........” Lev whined.

“What?” Yaku snapped, immediately covering his mouth and cleared his throat. “What is it?”

“Yaku san, please tell me what’s bothering you.” 

“I told you, it’s nothing. It was just a bad grade on my paper.”

“Are you sure? Honesty 101, Yaku san! If it was because of my S graded papers—”

“No. It’s nothing like that.” Yaku interrupted him.

“Then what is it? Tell me! If you don’t—” Lev huffed and put down his chopsticks. “—I’ll refuse to eat!”

“I—”

“Yaku san, honesty 101!”

Yaku sighed. “Fine...geez. I didn't get a B on my paper."

Well, that was obvious. It was such a terrible lie—it would have been more believable if Yaku had said he got an A, even Lev had his suspicions.

"The thing is.....I’m leaving Japan—”

“WHAT?!” Lev jumped up in surprise.

“Damnit, skyscraper. Let me finish!!” Yaku huffed. “It’s just temporary. I have to go to Russia for a volleyball tournament—and I’m leaving tomorrow morning.”

“Ehhh?! You never told me!!!!”

“Baka! Because I knew you would be whining like you are right now!” Yaku puffed his cheeks out. “Plus, I didn’t know how to tell you...It’s not like I want to leave your side.....” Yaku muttered, but in a quieter voice this time. They ate in silence for a bit until Lev broke the silence.

“When’s your flight?”

“Huh? Uh....9 in the morning. It’ll take me 9 hours and 50 minutes to get there, so I’ll probably land at 7 in the evening or something.” Yaku answered. “Why?”

“Can I see you off at the airport?”

“H-Huh? No! Why would you do that?”

“Why _can’t_ I do that, then?” Lev pouted.

“Because you’re going to make me want to stay here when I’m supposed to be on the plane!!” Yaku huffed and blushed.

“But—”

“No buts! Finish dinner and get ready for bed—Unless you want me to sleep in my own room!” Yaku huffed again. “And I won’t be letting you in!”

Hearing that, Lev immediately shut his mouth and frantically stuffed himself with the food on his plate.

“Hey! Don’t choke on your food, okay? Geez......” Yaku sighed with a small smile as he passed a glass of water to Lev.

...

Lev was desperately trying to fall asleep, but he couldn’t. He didn’t want to either. He stared at Yaku’s features, as the dim, ashen moonlight shone on his face. He wanted to run his fingers through his pale chestnut hair, that looked so soft and silky; it kind of resembled the small waves created when a gust of wind drops by. 

A soft breeze entered through the window and brushed Yaku’s cheek softly, as a fresh, minty scent of shampoo wafted Lev's way. He leaned in and kissed his forehead softly, almost drowning in the fragrance. His fingertips grazed Yaku’s lips softly as he traced his lips tenderly. Suddenly reaching up, Yaku grabbed his hand. Lev froze. Had he woken him up?

“Lev....don’t go......” Yaku mumbled as he nibbled Lev’s fingertips gently, sending a deep rosy blush that spread across his face rapidly, which soon reached the tip of his ears. Lev pulled Yaku close to him and nuzzled his neck. He hugged him tightly, as if afraid that the world would collapse around him had Yaku slipped out of his embrace. He stroked his hair lovingly as he slowly drifted off to a deep slumber, his arms still tightly wrapped around Yaku, unwilling to let him go.

_Yaku san.....don’t go. I would miss you terribly......._

Yet, when the irradiant sunlight shone upon him mercilessly again, there was no one in his arms. Nothing. Only a soft breeze glided by without cupping his cheeks, the tenderness somehow seemed rather hostile to him. Yaku’s cologne quietly made its way to escape through the window, and a pang of emptiness hit his heart. He somehow held on to a small ray of hope, hoping that yesterday’s conversation was a dream, and that Yaku was just up early making breakfast. 

But the presence of only one person and a sleeping cat rained the truth on him ruthlessly, as if shoving a boulder in his way as it knocked the wind out of him. The clock on the wall chimed, as if taunting him, signalling 10am.

_Yaku san is on the plane right now, isn’t he....._

\----------------------------------------------


	2. Intruder...?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He managed to cope with the loneliness, but still Lev felt a great wave of jealousy swallowing him up as he watched Yaku smile at a girl in the crowd, who was screaming his name.

_\----------------------------------------------_

_Ding Dong~_

The clock chimed, signalling 7pm. Lev paced around the living room anxiously, tapping his foot impatiently had he stood still for merely 3 seconds before pacing around the room again. Yaku should have arrived by now. Unless— _Ding!_ Lev’s phone notification bell rang. He rushed over to his phone, nearly tripping over his own foot in the process. 

The message was from Yaku. He eagerly tapped open the message.

_Arrived. -Yaku_

Lev heaved a sigh of relief before spamming him with a whole lot of questions.

_Did you get jet lag???? > ^ < -Lev _

_Did you eat on the plane? As in, a full meal? You should never get off the plane with an empty tummy, especially when it was such a long flight, you know??? -Lev_

_Did you get some sleep? Or some rest? Did you ask for a blanket? You might catch a cold, you know?? :( -Lev_

And just as Lev was about to send him another message asking whether he had a comfortable flight, Yaku sent him a ‘Shut up skyscraper’. Lev stopped typing, and his shoulders drooped visibly. But no sooner than later, he'd gotten a new message from Yaku again, and it was a voice message. Lev brimmed with elation. _I’m going to replay this so many times teehee~_ He thought as he pressed the ‘play’ icon.

“I just got off the plane. No jet lag, and yeah, I ate. The meal was pretty good, but eh, my cooking tastes better. I got some sleep too. I have to go to training now, I’ll catch you later....” 

If it had been someone else instead of Lev, they would have stopped playing the audio. But Lev let the audio continue. He knew Yaku tended to keep quiet for a handful of seconds before saying something he’d be embarrassed to speak out loud.

_10....9...._ _8...7...6...5....4....._

_3...._

_2...._

_1._

“.....Still listening? Hmph. Stupid Lev. I-I love you, okay? A-And......I miss you....”

The audio stopped. Lev had this huge grin on his face that was impossible to wipe off as he cleared his throat and sent Yaku a voice message.

“Yaku san, I love you toooo~”

Yaku held the phone up to his ear as he replayed Lev’s voice message over and over again, a rosy shade of pink spreading across his cheeks. Despite being miles away, it felt as if he was right next to him in Russia, whispering his love for Yaku in his ear. He was getting a little nervous, not knowing how he will withstand weeks without Lev by his side, but somehow he felt like he’d cope fine. A smile radiating pure happiness played on his face as he looked up to the skies through the transparent ceiling. Yeah, he’d be fine. He wasn’t in this alone. He had his teammates with him—and Lev with him on his phone.

“Yaku! Come on! You’re gonna lose us if you keep standing there!!” His teammate, Takashi, yelled at him.

“Coming!!!”

...

Lev jolted up to the blinding sunlight, startled. The sun seemed to blaze and shone even brighter, as if dissatisfied with the distance between the two lovers; but some cherry blossom petals danced into the room and landed softly on his shoulder, as if comforting him, before leaving with the wind again. He looked at his right hand side on the bed, which was now vacant, and sighed as he fell back to the mattress.

_That’s right. Yaku san’s not here._

“....Still listening? Hmph. S-Stupid Lev. I-I love you, okay? A-And....I miss you....”

Yaku’s voice waltzed into the room from a mp3 player. Lev’s face immediately broke into a soft smile—his usual Cheshire cat smile dancing on his lips. His eyes glinted with a hint of loneliness, but was soon drowned and dissolved in his affection for Yaku. He hugged his pillow, imagining it was Yaku in his arms instead, as he got out of bed and headed towards the living room, pillow in hand.

He plopped on the couch and turned on the TV. Thunderous cheers flooded into the living room, causing Lev to jump and yelp in surprise to the sudden disturbed silence. But he soon started cheering as he saw the familiar shade of pastel chestnut appear on the TV screen.

“Ekaterinburg’s members are coming on court—and there we have Ekaterinburg’s insanely talented libero! The ‘Guardian’ of Cheegle Ekaterinburg!” The crowd went wild as Lev cheered along with them. “With his undeniably invaluable defensive prowess, will he lead his team to victory again with his terrifying yet amazing receives?!”

“YAKU SAAAAN!!” Lev screamed and shouted at the top of his lungs. His neighbours usually would have knocked on the door had he made such a loud noise, asking him to keep it down. Surprisingly, today became an exception. No knocking on the door. Lev happily reached for the bag of chips on the table (which he had been secretly hiding from Yaku since Yaku didn’t let him eat junk food) when he heard a sweet, luscious voice yelling and cheering for Yaku.

“YAKU SAAAAAN!!! DO YOUR BEST~” A girl with long, wavy umber hair that flowed down to her waist, softly reflecting the glistening lights of the stadium, screamed from the crowd, holding a banner with ‘YAKU SAN’ scribbled over it. She had rosy cheeks and bright, luminous eyes that resembled the abyss in serenity. Her eyes were calm and collected, but a light wavered in them and showed a hint of excitement. She had cherry lips and the most dazzling smile on her face—it almost hurt to look at her, as if her beauty could physically pierce through your eyes. She looked about the same age as Yaku, and for some reason, Lev’s heart skipped a beat.

No, not the kind of _badump_ you’d get from falling in love with someone.

It was a beat of fear.

“It’s okay...it’s just a fan of Yaku which had a tad bit too much enthusiasm and just happened to be a girl...It’s okay....—”

Lev tried to calm himself. For some reason, he disliked that girl. He had seen a lot of fans swoon over _his_ Yaku, but this girl was different. She gave out a different vibe, and radiated rivalry towards Lev. Lev had never felt insecure about his looks, _never_ —but this girl looked like she could definitely rival Lev in the modeling industry—maybe even top him. Her voice was definitely alluring—damnit, that seemed kind of unfair. She had good looks, an appealing voice, and seemed to have a cheery personality—which made Lev revolt.

_Ugh. Freaking perfection. Even more disgusting. But it’s okay, she’s just a fan—_

_Thump._

Everything seemed to move slower, even the hands of the clock seemed to slide over the face of the clock sluggishly. It was as if his heart was racing miles and suddenly couldn’t take it anymore—and sank to the depths of the abyss. He drowned in the deafening silence, as he watched the camera rolled to Yaku turning back, waving and smiling at the girl _he oh so despised_ even he'd just seen her for merely ten seconds.

_\----------------------------------------------_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (ohno here comes the jealousy—


	3. Sleep deprived

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ( I don't know how to summarize it any better than: Lev misses Yaku so badly  
> (:p)

\----------------------------------------------

Who was that girl? Why did Yaku smile at her? He never did so to any of his fans, no matter how much they screamed, getting a slight bow or a nod at most in return.

Was she special? But why?

Lev felt intense jealousy boiling inside of him. He knew it was probably nothing, but he couldn’t shake that uneasiness off him. Perhaps it’s because of the distance, how far they were apart, and that made him more insecure. He slightly sulked, with his arms crossed and a slight frown on his face, his cat-like eyes slanting with force.

_Knock knock knock!_

A series of hurried knocking interrupted his thoughts. He opened the door, only to be greeted by Kuroo, whose face was literally glued to his phone with Kenma standing beside him.

“...Uh....Why are you guys outside my house?” Lev slightly raised his eyebrow.

“.......Our TV broke down when the match just started streaming, and Kuroo just wouldn’t stop being a pain in the neck. He kept whining that he wanted to see Yaku’s receives on a big screen.” Kenma mumbled, shooting annoyed glances at Kuroo's way from time to time. “Not that I really care, but I wanted to shut him up.” Kenma mumbled again. However, his frequent glances towards the screen gave him away. Lev stifled a laugh. Kenma never showed it, but he had a high opinion of Yaku’s receives, and he too, looked forward to his performance.

“Of course, come in—”

“Hey Lev, who’s the pretty girl Yakkun just smiled at?”

The unsettling feeling and insecurities tugged at him again. Missing the ball when he tried to spike, getting lectured by Kenma—never drowned him in such an acute perturbation. He tried to shake it off as he replied with a nonchalant smile. 

“I don’t know.”

“Ohhh, so she’s like his secret girlfriend or something—OW!”

Kenma bonked Kuroo’s head with his fist with a displeased look on his face. “Shut up, rooster. She’s probably just a friend and nothing more.” He shot an apologetic look to Lev. “I’m sorry, Lev. He’s a bit of an airhead most of the time he’s breathing.”

“Hey! I am not—OW! KENMA! SERIOUSLY, STOP THAT! IT HURTS!”

“Oh no, it’s fine. Come in!” Lev said cheerily, plastering a smile on his face. However, he couldn’t get his mind off Kuroo’s words. Darn, if he had known he’d be _this_ insecure without Yaku by his side, he would have just quietly followed Yaku to Russia. Not that it was possible, obviously, with his college life and his part-time job. He didn’t have a reason to not be in school anyways. He sighed.

“Lev, come sit beside me.” Kenma patted the spot on the couch next to him. “Don’t sit next to Kuroo. He’d contaminate you with his stupidity.”

“Hey—!”

“Shut up. The match is starting.” Kenma bonked Kuroo one last time on the head before turning his gaze to the screen.

_Beep!_

The referee blew his whistle, signalling the start of the match. The ball was passed and tossed around so rapidly it was hard to keep his eyes on the ball the whole time.

_Baam!_

Lev watched as a player from the opposite team spiked the ball with great force, sending it to whiz past the blocker from Cheegle. Lev held his breath. He watched as Yaku readied his position with his head up, staring at the ball intensely with total concentration. He didn't even blink. He just....stared at the ball. Never tearing his gaze away from the ball, he slightly shuffled to the left. The ball landed on his forearms with a soft yet solid thud before shooting upwards. The crowd cheered, but his eyes never wavered. It was as if the crowd wasn't there at all. He was in his own world, away from distractions with only one goal in mind: receiving the ball. 

"Nice receive. I see he has polished his movements after graduation." Kenma muttered under his breath. Lev continued watching, his eyes never leaving Yaku. Yaku's receives were really something else. Smooth and effective, without a slight hint of hesitation. His reflexes and his instinct were sharp, and on top of that, he was extremely skilled. Lev watched in awe. Even though he’s seen Yaku’s receives numerous times, he still couldn’t help but lose himself in Yaku’s graceful motion.

_Baam!_ The crowd went wild again as Yaku sent another ball flying midair, this time directly falling on the opposite side of the court. The opponents had a troubled look on their face. Yaku was....small in size, compared to the other members standing on the court, so it was hard to pinpoint him while keeping their eyes on the ball. His movements were unpredictable, as he always shifted to a certain direction quickly just in time to receive the ball, not letting his opponents predict where the ball would be sent flying due to his frequent change of tactics—of his movements and position, to be precise. He could control the ball perfectly—no matter the direction, the angle, the amount of force and even the speed of the ball; he had complete control over it.

_Beep!_

_[25 V.S 6] It was a landslide victory._

“Wooo! Yakkun!!” Kuroo jumped up, hands in air. “Damn, his receives are still terrifying as ever—his reflexes were faster than before too. I feel kind of bad for his opponents.” Kuroo laughed.

“Alright. Now we’re going home. I still need to get through the final level of my game.” Kenma got up and dragged Kuroo to the door.

“Ehhh—?!”

“Thanks for having us, Lev. Tell Yaku his performance was amazing for us.” Kenma gave him a slight bow and smiled softly, before snarling at Kuroo, telling him to shut up, and dragged him out the door.

Lev looked a little bit....lost. Even after Kuroo and Kenma had left, he simply sat on the couch, motionless, for hours. He wanted to smile, but the corners of his mouth refused to curl upwards. He felt energetic physically, but tired mentally. Kuroo’s words immediately came back to haunt him, revolving around his head. It lingered no matter how hard he tried to shoo them away. He wanted to get a confirmation so badly—to ask Yaku directly. But he couldn’t. Deep inside his confident demeanour, he was extremely insecure. He’d doubt himself and unconsciously deny himself—he was always afraid. Always overthinking, yet he couldn’t help it. Yaku chased away his insecurities, and shooed away his self doubts—Yaku accepted him, and made him realize he wasn’t just a breathing soul full of flaws.

But Yaku wasn’t here with him now. He couldn’t hug him and let Yaku’s warmth chase away his doubts; his scent, his touch, his warmth—he couldn’t feel it. He panicked. Living with Yaku made him overlook the fact that he needed Yaku a lot more than he thought—he needed him by his side. They were hardly apart, he never knew or thought of the agony without Yaku. He went to his room, still feeling hollow, and slammed his back to the wall, causing Yoku, who was sleeping peacefully on his bed, to jump and let out a startled meow.

“Sorry, Yoku. I startled you, didn’t I?” Lev smiled weakly as he slumped to the floor. Yoku, sensing something was wrong, immediately jumped off the bed and ran over to Lev’s side, nuzzling his hand and purred softly. Lev stroked his hair tenderly, from his head to his tail, which swished left and right mischievously from time to time. Yoku got up and jumped into Lev’s lap, curling into a ball of fluff, sometimes turning and tossing, rolling over to his back with his paws in the air.

“Miaaao~” Yoku purred and swished his tail. Lev rubbed his belly gently and hugged Yoku close to him. Usually Yoku would have clawed the heck out of him, but Yoku simply nuzzled his chest this time.

“Thanks, Yoku.” Lev whispered softly as he closed his eyes and let Yoku’s purrs lull him to sleep. However, Kuroo’s words crept in again, as his eyes flung wide open, a tear slowly sliding down his cheeks. He looked at Yoku, still sleeping in serenity in his lap, and glanced at the clock. 11pm. 

Unable to fall back into a peaceful slumber, he stared outside the window. Alluring. The azure moonlight flooded into his room, as he imagined Yaku sitting by the window, gazing out as the wind enveloped him. The reflection of the empty pavements reflecting in his beige eyes, and a soft, gentle smile— _the smile he missed so dearly,_ playing on his lips. He’d look at Lev with affection and gestured to him to come closer. They’d look at the crescent moon, at the ultramarine sky; and they’d stare at their own reflection in their lover’s eyes, locked in a tight embrace, and imagined their future together as a family, whispering eternal promises of love to each other.

Lev unconsciously reached out his hand, but the moment he did so, it all disappeared. Vanished without a trace. It _was_ his imagination, after all. Nothing but a mere hallucination. He was in Japan, and Yaku was in Russia, 2257 miles away from him. His hand fell to the ground with a weak thud as he glanced at the clock one more time.

5am.

\----------------------------------------------


	4. Connected miles apart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This day couldn't get any better for Lev. A video call with Yaku, a surprise from him and an unexpected comment from Yaku's teammate Takashi.....their love for each other never wavered, despite miles apart

\----------------------------------------------

“Yaku san? It’s Lev....again. Yeah, so I saw your match yesterday; you were so awesome!! Kenma and Kuroo thought so too! Your opponents were no match for you!!” Lev’s chirpy voice was the first thing Yaku heard when he woke up the next morning. “....I know you’re really busy and all....and tired too....but....I really miss you........”

_.....Stupid Lev. I miss you too....._

Yaku imagined Lev’s face when he recorded this. The loneliness reflecting in his viridescent eyes, a pout on his face as he desperately tried to stop the tears forming in his eyes.....how he wished he could somehow magically teleport back to Japan and embrace him tightly. To ruffle his slightly tousled hair first thing in the morning, and to hear his heartbeat again.....but this was reality. No fairy godmother popping out of nowhere to turn pumpkins into a carriage and mice into horses, just.....none of that fantasy-related stuff. Yaku sighed as he clicked on the second voice recording Lev sent him.

“My exam results came out, Yaku san! Guess what? I came first in my class, Yaku san! I wish I could celebrate with you, but.......”

_Lev......please. Don’t tear up. I’m hurting just as much as you._

“A-Ah, oh well, I’ll be off before this gets too long, haha. Good luck in your next match! Though I’m pretty sure you don’t need luck....”

_Oh, Lev. Lev, I —_

Yaku rubbed his eyes before his tears could fall. He too, turned and tossed at night so much he had to intake sleeping pills so he wouldn’t be sleep deprived. He needed to be in top shape for the competition, after all. But that failed to erase the pained look in his eyes. Without him, minutes felt like hours, and hours felt like days. They all say the less time you spent with someone, the more you forget about them. But they were wrong. His tall, slender build; his neatly parted hair, in a shade of lavish silvery grey; his Cheshire grin, and his emerald eyes— _his eyes._

Hues of the forest. The kind of green that brought lifeless dead leaves back to life after the merciless frost winter had brought upon the land. The colour of springtime ferns, the tone of autumn carrot tops, the shade of fresh asparagus tips—he’d drown in them. He’d drown in them again and again until he suffocated and went for a gasp of air—and he’d do it again. He’d lean in and steal his lips—they drove him insane every time. An explosion of bliss, serenity, as if ripples on the surface of a lake. Quiet, yet restless. Tranquil, yet his heart would hammer loudly against his chest. 

_Lev....be a bit patient. I’ll drive your loneliness away, I promise._

...

Lev sulked, rocking back and forth on the couch. He hoped he didn’t sound like he was tearing up, or Yaku would have called him a child. Yet, he was acting like a child—a child sulking in the corner because his parents refused to buy a new toy for him. He sighed. His eyes became dull as he stared at the ceiling, losing every bit of life in them. 

_Rinnnnng. Rinnnnnnnnng._

[Caller ID: Kawaii Yaku san <3]

“....Lev?”

“YAKU SAAAAAN!!!!!” Lev screamed in joy, the colour returning to his eyes. Despite it was on a tiny screen, Lev could see Yaku’s features all so clearly. Yaku slightly flinched at the sudden screech, but soon burst into laughter.

“Calm the heck down, skyscraper.” Although he was just as elated, he chose not to show it on his face. “The delivery should be here any moment—”

“Delivery? What delivery?” Lev gave him a questioning look. At the exact same time, the doorbell rang.

“Speak of the devil. Go on, answer the door.”

Lev disappeared from the screen as he went to the door, only to come back with a flower bouquet and an extravagantly decorated box with a ribbon on top. 

“Yaku san, what’s this—?!” Lev tugged on the ribbon, loosening it, and watched as the lid fell to its sides, unveiling a mouth-watering cake as the sweet aroma of chestnut hit him. He stared at the Mont Blanc cake in his hands, and every ticking second, his eyes widened. The messy brown chestnut flavoured icing—which resembled soba, covered the layer of ivory whipped cream, coating the moist, soft chocolate sponge, with crushed chestnuts as footing. There was a heart shaped chocolate plate on top of it, with the words ‘For my beloved Lev’ scribbled across it. Careful not to get cream on his shirt, Lev took a bite. The triumph of the silky texture of the chestnut icing melting with the bittersweet chocolate exploded in his mouth. The sponge, the whipped cream and the crushed chestnuts—all mixed together in perfect harmony. Yaku giggled with a bright smile on his face.

“Well? My baking skills aren’t half bad, right?”

“H-half bad??!! This is beyond ambrosial!” Lev’s eyes shone as brightly as ever.

“I made it the day before I left, and scheduled it to be delivered to your house the day after the announcement of your results. It was to celebrate your efforts and hard work—first place or not, you deserved it.” Yaku had the most gentle smile on his face as he looked at Lev lovingly. 

“YAKU SAAAAN!!!!” Lev had no idea how many times he had screamed his name, but he didn’t care. He loves him so, so much, he’d _carve_ his name on his heart if he could.

“.......” Suddenly, Yaku fell silent.

“Yaku san?” Lev peered at the screen. Yaku took a deep breath. He tried to calm his already flushed cheeks as he moved in closer to his phone screen. Timidly, his lips touched the screen, and all Lev could see was his velvet lips, his flushed cheeks and his collarbones, and— _oh my gosh. His beautiful collarbones. His adorable flushed cheeks. And.....his satiny lips._

Yaku pulled away, his face burning crimson red now, and whispered, “Stupid Lev. I love you.”

Lev’s hand flew to his mouth as a visible shade of blush spread across his face, his eyes wavering, lovesick, as he stole a glance at Yaku.

“Y-YAKU SAN, T-THAT WAS ADORABLE I—”

“Shhhhh! My teammates will hear you! Stop being so loud—”

_Click._

“Yaku, it’s almost time—who are you talking to?” A man wearing the Cheegle's uniform appeared on the side of the screen.

“N-No one!” Yaku yelped as he tried to hide the phone but he was too late.

“Ohhh, is that your boyfriend?” A sudden blur of vision filled Lev’s screen. Soon, the man's face came into focus. “Hello, Yaku’s boyfriend!!” 

“Hi!!!” Lev waved excitedly to him.

“Give! It! Back! Takashi!” Yaku’s voice sounded a bit far away. Takashi tilted the phone slightly, and the sight of Yaku, trying to get his phone back but in vain because of the height difference he and Takashi had, filled the screen. Lev instantly bursted into laughter as he watched Yaku puffed his cheeks out, demanding Takashi to give his phone back. “Don’t you DARE laugh, skyscraper!!!!” Yaku snarled.

“Your boyfriend is really good-looking though, Yaku! I can see why you’ve been whining how much you miss him every day—ARGH!” Yaku silenced Takashi with a swift kick to his shin as he knelt down in pain. “Should you really be doing that, Yaku? We still have the tournament—”

“Shut up, your blocks are weak to begin with anyways!” Yaku snarled at him as he snatched his phone back, only to see Lev trying his best not to laugh.

“You didn’t hear anything— _anything at all,_ got it?” Yaku blushed madly, trying to keep a straight face.

“Yes, yes, yes, I didn’t hear anything at all, Yaku san~”

“Stupid Lev....” Yaku blushed even harder. “I’ve got to go now. Love you......”

“......I’ll miss you.”

_Beep!_ Yaku hung up abruptly after getting those words out. Takashi was standing beside him with a smirk on his face. 

“Who knew Yaku had such a soft side~?” Takashi nudged him playfully on the shoulder.

“S-Shut up, and don’t you dare tell anyone about this, or I won’t guarantee the safety of your bones!”

“Geeez, I get it already....Stop glaring at me, I’m not going to tell anyone, promise!” Takashi lifted his arms in surrender as they walked out of the room.

At the same time, Lev was frozen on spot, trying to process what had just happened.

_Yaku san, that was TOO ADORABLE!!!! I DON’T THINK MY HEART CAN HANDLE IT!_

Lev ran to his room and dived into the sheets and had this huge grin on his face the entire time he rolled on his bed, ignoring Yoku’s judgemental stares and meows. His heart was thumping so loudly the entire time he was afraid Yaku would be able to somehow pick up on the sound of his heartbeat. He flipped over and stuffed his face in his pillow, as Yaku’s blushing face came to mind again. Nothing else was on his mind—nothing but Yaku. 

He went through his phone album, which was full of pictures of Yaku and Yoku. He swiped through it, one by one, taking in his silky pale chestnut hair, his hazel brown eyes—all of it. His fingers stopped moving when a certain picture came into sight.

_Sapphire moonlight, cherry blossom petals on his cheek, his delicate hand in mine—_

_His slumbering form._

An angel deceased from Heaven—the form of utter pureness and bliss, with an aura so divine and innocent he still can’t believe how lucky he was to be in a relationship with Yaku.

_I love you, I love you, I love you so so much, my adorable, lovable, precious chestnut, I’d never trade your love for anything else. Never. You’re the one I love, and the one I see my future with. I love you—_

_Yaku san._

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE FLUFF (Man this was trickier than I thought) (the 'missing each other oh so dearly' and the 'jealousy' were so hard not to make it a tad sad (because it's sad ;-;


	5. Misunderstood...?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lev woke up to a nightmare, only to be greeted by Karasuno's 'caretaker' and setter, Sugawara (screeches in fangirling) as he confessed his worries to Sugawara, who then (giving life advice as always lmao) reassured him. Unconsciously blurting out his question to Yaku, Lev finally got the answer to the question that had haunted him for days...

\----------------------------------------------

_ Thump. _

_ Yaku...san? _

_ What are you doing? Why are you with that girl? W-Wait, don’t kiss h— _

__ “AH!” Lev sprung up, just to find himself in bed—and in tears. He fell back onto the mattress, and covered his face with his hands. It was so realistic—it didn’t seem like a dream. 

“Yaku san.........I need you......” Lev whimpered.

He just lied there, frozen in position, as a tear slowly rolled down his cheek. 

_ Ring~ _

__ Who was it? Lev wiped his tears away and answered the door. A shade of silvery grey came to sight.

“Good morning, Le—wait, are you crying?!” Sugawara chirped with energy but stopped as soon as he noticed Lev’s slightly red-rimmed eyes.

“I— Sugawara san, what are you doing here?” 

“Yaku told me to check up on you once a week to make sure you...uh—” Sugawara went through his bag and held out a piece of paper. “—tidy your room, do the washing, sweep the house, eat properly and sleep before 11. Just in case you use your loneliness as an excuse or not to leave the house in a mess.” Sugawara chuckled.

“S-Sugawara san!! Please don’t laugh at me!!” Lev blushed. Great. Now Sugawara is going to think he’s some 9 year old child who can’t even take care of himself. Yaku wasn’t wrong in a way though. Lev had been so sad he wasn't eating his meals or sleeping well.  _ Hm. On second thought, if being a child can let Yaku stay with me forever, so be it.  _ But Lev quickly shook that thought out of his head. 

_ Yaku san wouldn’t want an immature lover... _

__ “Sorry, sorry.” Sugawara stifled his laugh. “Why were you crying though? What’s wrong?”

“.....” Lev had thought of keeping such an embarrassing issue to himself, but then again, he really couldn’t get it off his mind.

“Sugawara san, have you watched Yaku san’s match?”

“Ah, yes, I have.” Sugawara snapped his fingers and looked up after a few seconds of thought. “Would it just so happen to have anything to do with the girl Yaku waved to?”

“Eep—!” Lev jumped up and yelped in surprise to Sugawara’s accuracy, his head colliding with the ceiling in the process. “—Ow!”

“Ack, be careful!” Sugawara rushed over to Lev’s side to check on his head, but Lev quickly stood up with Sugawara’s fingers only lightly grazing his hair. Sugawara blinked a few times before stifling a laugh. What’s with these two lovebirds not letting anyone but their lover touch them? Lev bit his lip as he tried to ignore the throbbing pain on his head.

“Yeah, it’s about that girl.....” Lev sighed as he closed the door behind Sugawara. “Kuroo san suggested that she was his secret girlfriend, but Kenma san immediately bonked him and told me it was probably just a friend or something.” 

Sugawara looked at Lev’s shoulders, which were visibly drooping. He had obviously taken Kuroo’s words to heart seriously.  _ That darn rooster.  _ Sugawara sighed. He didn’t know if what he was about to say would have any effect or lift up Lev’s spirit in the slightest bit, but he did it anyways.

“Lev, I’m pretty sure it’s like what Kenma said. She’s probably just a friend.”

Lev pouted. 

_ Easy for you to say....it’s not like you’ve gone through anything similar—wait! _

__ “Sugawara san, Daichi san was close with a girl called...uh....Yui, right? Weren’t you ever jealous?” Lev asked as he watched Sugawara’s eyebrows slightly twitched in irritation, but soon returned to its relaxed form. 

“Of course I was! Even after we had started dating, it was still frustrating to see my boyfriend get all chummy with another girl.” Sugawara furrowed his eyebrows. “Of course, she didn’t know that we were dating, but the fact Daichi didn’t keep his distance irritated me. I understand that if Daichi were to suddenly act distant it would be really weird, but still, I was hopelessly jealous.” Sugawara sighed as he took a few seconds to recall what happened right before their final match for Spring Interhigh.....

_... _

_ “Daichi san! We’ve come to cheer for the Karasuno team!” _

_ I watched as Yui and her two friends ran towards us, waving her hand excitedly. I didn’t particularly like her, but she was harmless, so I tried to not show my irritation on my face. _

_ “Of course I came! I-I wouldn’t miss this for the world!” Yui started blushing and stuttered over her words. _

_ “Alright, let’s get moving!” I nudged Asahi towards the court and gathered the other Karasuno members inside, wanting to flee from the scene. I wanted to run away before my disgust showed on my face. But Yui’s voice was so loud it was as if I could only hear her squealing in front of my boyfriend. _

_ “You were great! I-I mean, great! Just great!” Yui became more and more flustered and her voice became shaky. I didn’t know what came over me, but I turned around and looked at them. At that exact moment, I saw a shade of red in Yui’s hand as she passed it to Daichi and said “I-I got this for you! I mean, for you and the team!” _

_ A lucky charm.  _

_ I stopped in my tracks and stared at them. Yui blushing like mad, and Daichi accepting the lucky charm. I looked inside my bag. Inside it was a handmade lucky charm in hues of blue, his favourite colour, the one I was planning to give to Daichi before the finals. _

_ “Tch.” I let out a small statement of vex as I turned around from them and jogged up to them to catch up with Asahi. I felt like throwing up and screaming in frustration, but that would be improper of me to do that. I calmed my nerves down as we got ready for the match.  _

_ After the match, I asked Daichi if he wanted to walk around in the shopping districts. However, no sooner than later I was greeted with a haunting voice. _

_ “Daichi san! Do you want to go somewhere to celebrate?” Yui came running towards us. _

_ “Actually, we’re heading towards the shopping district. Do you want to come along?” Daichi asked her. I looked at Daichi in surprise. Why on earth was he inviting Yui? I prayed with all my might that Yui would turn down his offer, but I got a disappointing response from her energetic ‘Yes!’.  _

_ Yui and Daichi kept chattering all the way to the shopping district, and even after we arrived there. I was feeling really sour, but I kept a nonchalant smile on my face as I walked beside them. I hated the feeling of being third-wheeled, especially when it was someone I suppose you could call a ‘love rival’. Countless thoughts entered my mind, and before I knew it, I had strolled off the pavement and onto the road. _

_ “Suga!”  _

_ A car whooshed by in front of me as someone pulled me into their arms. Strong, muscular arms, I couldn’t have been more familiar with. Daichi held me close and nuzzled the nape of my neck. I could feel his racing heartbeat thumping with great force on my back. _

_ “Daichi? Let go....Yui’s going to see us.” I gently patted his arms, gesturing them to loosen their grip on me, but they only tightened. _

_ “She’s looking around in a shop. It’ll take her a while.” Daichi kissed my cheek softly. “Why were you spacing out? You almost gave me a heart attack when you strolled off the pavement!” _

_ Daichi was....watching me? _

_ “I-I don’t know. I’m just kind of tired. Sorry.” I mumbled. I held my head down. I didn’t want him to see me biting my lip as I choked on my lie, or the jealousy that had been raging in my eyes. _

_ “Yui! The team said they wanted to celebrate, so we’re heading back, ok? Sorry!” Daichi yelled.  _

_ “Eh?! I-It can’t be helped, I guess. Bye!” Yui yelled back from inside the shop. Daichi scooped me up in his arms and started walking with hurried footsteps. _

_ “Daichi? Where are we going? Wait, put me down first!” I struggled for a bit, causing my lucky charm to fall out of my bag. Daichi stopped and picked it up, shooting me a questioning look. _

_ “That? You can throw it away. It’s not like you need it anyways.” I spat out sourly. “Yui gave you one already.” _

_ “What—? Oh, the red lucky charm? I gave it to the coach. It was meant for the whole team; I would have never accepted it if it wasn’t. After all, I can only receive a lucky charm from the one I love.” Daichi smiled at me as he put the lucky charm in his bag and continued walking. “We’re going home. You didn’t like Yui tagging along, did you? I was planning to run away with you somehow while she was looking around, but this seemed more of a valid reason to part ways with her.” He whispered in my ear with a hushed voice. Still in his arms, I buried my face in his chest with flushed cheeks. _

__ “At the end of the day, they were friends and nothing more. Daichi didn’t distance himself, but he didn’t cross the boundaries either. I’m the one he held in his arms in his sleep, the one he kissed with affection in his eyes, the one he loves. So don’t let it get to you, alright? I still remember the look on his face when he came to me for advice concerning his feelings for you, and it certainly wasn’t a look that was going for a fling; he genuinely loves you. If only you could have seen his face, you would understand.”

“Yaku san went to you for advice?” Lev gasped. “Yaku san, asking someone for advice?” It was clearly something Yaku wouldn’t normally do yet he still did it for Lev, much to Sugawara’s entertainment.

“He was pretty desperate.” Sugawara shrugged and said with a wink. “And lovesick. Well, I’ll drop by again next week. I have to head towards Kageyama’s to drop off the limited edition flavoured milk I promised him. Bye!” Sugawara set the list on the table and headed towards the door, and with a slight nod and the usual angelic smile on his face, he was gone. Lev looked at the list and carefully placed it on his desk. He then tapped furiously on his phone before hitting the ‘send’ button.

_ Yaku san, help me (i n i) I’m stuck on an assignment, and I’m supposed to hand it in tomorrow qwq -Lev _

__ ...

“Okay, then onto the algorithm design...”

Lev stared at his papers, barely picking up on Yaku’s teaching. 

_ Should I ask him? No, would it be too weird? But I really want to ask him... _

__ “SKYSCRAPER!!!”

Lev screeched at the sudden call of his nickname and looked at his screen. Yaku had his cheeks puffed out with an angry look in his eyes.

“Y-Yes?”

“Were you even listening?!“

”Uh, yeah. Of course!” Lev averted his glance nervously.

“Okay, then what was I talking about?”

“Uh...data analysis?” 

‘No, that was literally 45 minutes ago.” Yaku sighed and shut his eyes. Lev fidgeted and held his head down, unable to say anything that would ease the tension between them.

“Stupid Lev, what’s wrong? You’ve been spacing out ever since the start of the call. I was hoping it was my imagination, but guess not.”

“....W-Who was that girl? The one I saw at your match the other day?” Lev blurted out unconsciously before his hand flew to his mouth in realization of what he had just said.

“What girl—ohhhh, you mean my cousin? She had some business in Russia and dropped by to cheer me on, that’s all.”

“Y-Your cousin?!” Lev jumped up in surprise.

“Yeah, my cousin—wait, w-were you jealous? Over my cousin??”

Lev kept his mouth shut, but failed to stop the tears from falling and the deep blush that spread across his cheeks. 

“STUPID LEV IT’S NOt like I can love anyone else but you....” Yaku started to scream but his volume dropped aggressively as he too, started to blush. “Now listen attentively, okay? I’m not going to repeat myself!”

“Okay!!” Lev’s Cheshire grin returned to his face as he set his gaze on his completed papers on the table. He had finished his papers long before he texted Yaku, but he couldn’t think of an excuse to call Yaku. For the rest of the time, Lev simply stared at Yaku as Yaku went on with the answers Lev has already written on his papers, nodding in response to Yaku’s questions from time to time.

“.....And with that, you’re done.” Yaku let out a relieved sigh as he massaged his fingers. “By the way, I should be back in Japan two weeks later.”

“Really?!” Lev’s eyes shimmered with excitement.

“Do I look like I’m lying? Anyways, it’s okay if you don’t want to, but do you want to pick me up from—”

“YES!!!!” Without waiting for Yaku to finish, Lev had already agreed and nodded his head with great force, almost banging it on the table.

“Stupid Lev......” Yaku mumbled as he placed his hands on his flushed cheek and fanned them, trying to cool down. “I’m going to hang up now. I have to head to practice.”

“Okay! Love you, Yaku san~” Lev blew a kiss to the camera.

“....love you too.” Yaku blushed harder and whispered before hanging up.

2257 miles apart.

Yet these two lovebirds flung themselves on their bed as soon as they hung up, rolling around in the sheets as they blushed and stared at the ceiling, as a smile that couldn’t have been more blissful formed on their face.

\----------------------------------------------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (darn why is school so hectic it's been ages since I updated ini but still I've received support from you guys and I am SO GRATEFUL QAQ I hope you've enjoyed reading it so far up till now (I especially liked this chapter because the misunderstanding FINALLY cleared up qwq) and I hope y'all can see the ending with me together iwi (grovels with nails literally digging into the ground)


	6. Desperate need of advice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that the misunderstanding had been cleared up, Lev is burdened with another worry—to welcome Yaku home in the best way possible. Getting some advice from Hinata, Kageyama, Akaashi and Bokuto, Lev tried to come up with a decent plan, yet it refused to come to him, leaving him frustrated, as he stared at the moon in nostalgia, remembering a certain Russian dialogue he had muttered one a late night around a year ago...

\----------------------------------------------

“Lev san!!!” Urged knocking came from the door as Lev rushed over to answer it.

“Hinata!” Lev grinned at the unruly shade of orange with the company of a sulking setter.

“Lev san! Why did you ask me to come over?” Hinata made his way to the living room and plopped down on the couch.

“Boke! You should thank him for inviting you over first!” Kageyama yelled at him before turning to Lev. “I’m so sorry about that tangerine—I mean, Hinata. Sorry for intruding.” Kageyama bowed slightly as he headed inside. 

“It’s all good, you guys can drop the formality.” Lev chuckled as he closed the door behind him.

“So....what is it?” Hinata asked as he looked around the living room with Kageyama sitting beside him, looking as if in absolute embarrassment. 

“Well, the thing is....Yaku san is coming back two weeks later.” Lev scratched his head sheepishly.

“That’s great! You’ll be able to see him soon, then!” Hinata cheered and clapped.

“Yeah....but the thing is, I don’t know how to welcome him home.” Lev mumbled. HInata looked up to the giant standing in front of him. His eyes wavered and his brows were furrowed. His troubled eyes reflected helplessness, darting around frantically as if trying to come up with a good plan yet in vain. The thin grin that played on his lips was replaced by a perplexed frown as he bit his lip anxiously.

“Oh oh oh, now don’t you worry! I know just who to call over!” Hinata whipped up his phone, meeting Kageyama’s stern gaze. “If you don’t mind?” Hinata turned back to Lev and asked awkwardly while fiddling with his phone, as Kageyama slightly nodded in approval. 

“Of course. Go ahead.” Lev needed all the help he could get—who knew there was a day that he’d be so desperate?

After some time, a lively chattering interrupted the tranquil neighbourhood. Bursting with energy, a loud ‘HEY HEY HEY!’ came from the door, followed by a soft, stern ‘Keep it down, Bokuto san. You’ll disturb the neighbours...’. Lev didn’t need to wait for the knocking—it was obvious that they'd already arrived.  _ Loud as always, _ he thought as he got up and opened the door.

“AH SOrry Akaashi—Lev!” Bokuto clasped his hands together and apologized to Akaashi, but quickly responded to Lev’s greeting. “HEY HEY HEY, LEV! IT’S GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN!”

Akaashi sighed. A sigh of annoyance yet with affection. “Sorry for intruding.” Akaashi bowed slightly before heading towards the living room, where Hinata was waving excitedly with Kageyama trying to hold his arm down. 

“AKAASHI! WAIT FOR ME!” Bokuto whined and rushed inside. Lev stifled a laugh at Bokuto’s energy and enthusiasm as he closed the door behind him. Closing the door had felt oddly like a part of a routine nowadays, he suddenly thought.

“So, I’ve heard from my son—”

“Bokuto san, for the last time, Hinata is not our son.” Akaashi placed his hand on Bokuto’s shoulder as if trying to calm him down, his irritation clearly showing.

“—so I’ve heard from my student—” This time, Bokuto glanced at Akaashi before continuing. Akaashi opened his mouth, but shut his mouth in silence as he gave a nod of approval unwillingly. “—that you wanted help on welcoming Yakkun back?”

“Yes! Do you happen to have any good ideas? I’m really stumped on this one...”

“Well, I would have gotten him special limited edition flavoured milk.” Kageyama quipped up from his thoughts.

“And I would have gotten him meat buns! And lots and lots of hugs!” Hinata shouted as he did an imitation of hugging someone.

“Eh?! Boke, why would I want that?!” Kageyama bonked him and yelled at him.

“Eh??!! Wait, were we talking about you? I thought we were talking about Yaku—”

“Boke!” Kageyama huffed and crossed his arms, turning his head away. Hinata scrambled over and hugged him, pleading him to stop sulking. Kageyama let out a soft ‘hmph’ before loosening his grip, letting Hinata slip into his embrace.

“Me me me! Me next! I would have brought him to a yakiniku restaurant!” Bokuto’s hand shot up as he puffed his chest out and said with confidence.

“Bokuto san, why would I—nevermind.” Akaashi stopped and sighed, a slight smile forming on his lips. “If I had to sum up their suggestions for you, they would have prepared something that they liked, but it seems that the one receiving it wouldn’t be too happy about it, wanting it to be something they liked. Perhaps, you should try to find something both of you have in common? Something that you’ll enjoy preparing and he’ll be happy to receive it?” 

“Yeah...maybe...yeah! I’ll try that! Thanks, Akaashi san!” Lev’s furrowed eyebrows seemed to relax a bit. Akaashi smiled in response. He was glad he could be helpful this time; he was pretty bummed out about Yaku’s failed attempt when he asked him for advice around a year ago. 

"Akaashi!! We need to go home and water the plants!! My pet cactus is calling out for me!” Bokuto suddenly threw his arms around Akaashi’s waist and whined. Akaashi’s eyes widened in surprise, but was quickly replaced by an adoring warmth as a tender smile danced on his lips, letting a chuckle slip out.

“Okay, okay. We’re going to go home. Thanks for having us, Lev—”

“PET CACTUS?! BOKUTO SAN CAN I COME AND SEE YOUR PET CACTUS PLEASE—?” Hinata sprung up and jumped excitedly.

“Of course!” 

“Boke, no!”

Lev laughed as Bokuto and Kageyama replied in unison and looked at each other in surprise.

“Please please please pleaaaase?” Hinata hugged Kageyama tightly and nuzzled his chest, sending a blush to the tip of his ears.

“F-Fine! Just stop—”

“Yay!!! We’re going to see a pet cactus~” Hinata skipped over to the wide open door Lev had been holding out the whole time while he was watching them in amusement.

“Boke! Don’t run; you’ll trip—! See, what did I tell you?!” Kageyama rushed over to Hinata, who’s bonding with the ground after a startled yelp and a loud thud.

“Children! Wait for me!” Bokuto cried out gleefully as he joined the arguing pair.

“.......I—” Akaashi covered his face with his hands in embarassment. “I’m so sorry.....Thanks for having us. If you'll excuse us...” Akaashi gave him a little wave before jogging up to the trio, trying to stop them from running without keeping their eyes on the pavement. Lev smiled as he headed towards his room and lied on the bed, trying to come up with something he’d enjoy preparing and Yaku would be happy to receive...

...

“Miaaao....” Yoku purred as he jumped on the bed and slapped Lev with his tail.

“Ow! Yoku, what was that for?!” Lev sat up and looked at Yoku, who had leaped off the bed and was slamming his tail furiously onto the ground.

“....what?” Lev cocked his head, much to Yoku’s disappointment. Yoku slammed his tail onto the ground again for three consecutive times.

“Ohhhhh! Dinner? Wait, it’s  _ that _ late already?” Lev looked outside the window, and sure enough, a crescent moon had already replaced the sun, and the surroundings had drowned in a shade of indigo. Lev got up and headed towards the kitchen, with Yoku swishing his tail in irritation, trotting behind him. Lev set the plate of food on the ground and watched as Yoku ran over and dug in. He plopped down on the couch, still trying to come up with a decent plan.

_ Maybe I should get him another cat? No...we already have Yoku; we don’t have enough time to take care of two cats...What if I made him super spicy curry? But then again, I don’t know how to cook.....Or taking him out to an extravagant restaurant? That’s so cliché tho....Stirred fried vegetables! Ah. Wait. I don’t know how to cook....but it shouldn’t be that hard, right? But what if I mess up and ended up making the kitchen a total mess.....Yaku san would be fuming mad....I don’t want that (°ﾛ°٥)  _

__ “Arghhh! Why is this so hard?” Lev whined in frustration. Yoku jumped and screeched, thumping his tail on the ground loudly with angry meows. “Sorry, sorry...” Lev apologized as Yoku turned around angrily and continued on his meal.

Lev sighed. He wanted it to be perfect; he wanted to see Yaku brimming with happiness as he held him close in his arms, and to fill him with so much love, much more than that small build of his could fit. He stared at the glistening moon; nostalgic. It was wildly familiar, as if he’s done this before. He had muttered something....what was it again? Lev racked his brains in search of that memory, that night he felt someone graze his cheeks with such tenderness, waking up to his adorable demonic senpai the next morning.

“Твой свет, в котором родился мой дух; ты мое солнце, моя луна и все мои звезды (Your light, in which my spirit was born; you are my sun, my moon, and all my stars).” He whispered into the autumn breeze as the clock chimed, signalling 10pm.

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	7. Unexpected

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lev opened the door and was (once again) greeted by Kuroo and Kenma—and his sister, Alisa. Alisa looked around excitedly (house tour y'all :D) and when she acknowledge Lev's concerns on welcoming Yaku back, she gave (literally) the best idea, which Lev happily went with it.

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“Lev! Open up!”

“What now?!” Lev grumbled in annoyance. So many people have dropped by lately the knocking and the ringing of the doorbell became a haunting melody; he’d even question himself whether there was really knocking or if it was just his imagination. 

“Why are there so many people coming over lately—Kuroo san?” 

Lev opened the door only to be greeted by a devilish smirk and mischievous eyes. Kenma was also beside him, as he yawned and sighed.

“Heeeeey Lev, are you still down in the dumps because of that girl?”

Lev gaped at him. He’s enjoying this, isn’t he? Lev decided to play around for a bit as he pouted and nodded, his shoulders drooping as he tried not to laugh. Kenma groaned and bonked Kuroo on the head as he shook his head. 

“Kuroo, you shouldn't have told him that. You knew Yaku wouldn’t do anything like that to Lev.” 

“It’s okay, I was just kidding.” Lev stuck his tongue out. “I asked him a few days ago and he told me it was just his cousin.”

An awkward silence fell upon the pair, both staring straight at Lev. A sudden  _ bonk!  _ broke the silence, followed by a cry of pain.

“Kenma! What was that for?!”

“Dunno. Felt like it.”

“What—?? Anyways, we have a surprise for you, Lev!” Kuroo rubbed his head and pouted as Kenma stuck his tongue out to him.

“A surprise—?” Lev started to ask, but was soon interrupted by a luscious singsong voice.

“Lyovochka~”

“Onee-san?! Why are you—” Lev smiled in surprise, but Alisa only gently slipped past him and flitted about in the room.

“Wait, onee-san—!”

“Aww, Lyovochka, your house is so big and the decorations are adorable!” Alisa, completing ignoring him, explored the house excitedly. This was the first time she had stepped into his house—she was rather excited. She barely had time to visit her younger brother, drowning in an insane amount of photoshoot requests. She did hear from Lev that he was living with Yaku, his boyfriend. Although Alisa had been supportive of him—she would be no matter what he did, unless it was something illegal; the family seemed to think so otherwise. But they’ve more or less warmed up to Yaku after meeting him, knowing that he was a kind, diligent young man who had a big, loving heart for Lev.

Alisa looked around the living room. There were pictures of him and Yaku hung up on the sakura patterned wall, and a wall with a painted cherry blossom tree on it—with Lev and Yaku’s initials in a heart beside it.  _ Yaku must really love cherry blossoms _ , Alisa grinned. Other than that, the living room looked pretty typical—but had an odd sense of belonging.

“Next room~” Alisa skipped towards the corridor, looking at all the doors in sight. “Hmm, which door should I open next?”

“Are you not going to stop her?” Kuroo asked as Lev sat down with them.

“Probably not. There’s nothing to hide anyways.”

“Lyovochka! Why are there two separate bedrooms?” Alisa yelled from faraway.

“We didn’t move in as a couple, onee-san. Though Yaku san’s bedroom is mostly used for putting the things we barely use anymore.”

“Oh, okay~” The chirpy voice got further away as Alisa opened the door to the kitchen. A 3 door refrigerator, and an ivory kitchen counter came in sight. There were also a lot of cabinets above the kitchen counter, and a large amount of spices and flavouring on the counter and two large electric stoves. An oven, a toaster, a coffee brewing machine, a waffle machine and—a lot of machinery.  _ Is that a shaved ice machine? There’s also literally every kind of pans and pots you’d need—or not.  _ Alisa gaped at the amount of cookware, considering that neither of them cooked for a living. She saw a stool in the corner—and couldn’t help but laugh. It was obvious that the cabinets above the kitchen counter were out of Yaku’s reach—especially the top part. There were also bits of paper attached to the fridge with a magnet, much to Alisa’s curiosity.

“Lev’s favourite food......What food to make according to Lev’s mood.....Food that Lev hates/cannot eat.....” Alisa read aloud and stifled a laugh.  _ Yaku really loves Lev, doesn’t he? :D~  _ Alisa hummed to herself as she stepped out of the kitchen and headed towards another ‘door’.

“What’s this~oh!” Alisa headed towards the end of the corridor and lifted up the noren (which also had a cherry blossom print on it) only to be greeted by two hook racks on both sides of the passway; and after walking for a few more steps, what she saw was...

“??!! A-A tub?! N-No, two tubs?! W-Wait, what is this place?!”

An extravagant decorated—bathroom? Something straight out of a royal family in fairytales—there was gold lining on the wall, and a  _ huge  _ mirror on the wall with a sauna in the corner. There was a transparent cubicle with a shower hanging on the wall, a small tub—a small tub? There was a small tub at the center-back of the room, and a large tub beside the windows with draped curtains. There were matching towels, matching toothbrushes, matching cups—what wasn’t matching anyway? Alisa shook her head. This was something you’d see in a fancy hotel—in VIP suites. Or was it even more luxurious compared to a VIP suite? Still in shock, Alisa headed out and picked another door—the nearest one.

It was a rather plain room—barely used, and filled with a lot of stuff.

“This was Yaku’s room, right? I better not pry into that...” Alisa slipped out and headed towards the last door—surely this was Lev’s room.

A wardrobe, a studying desk, a bookshelf, and a bed beside the window.  _ How is everything so ordinary when the bathroom is just—? Nevermind. I don’t want to question it. _ Alisa looked around the room and inside the wardrobe. She giggled. Almost every piece of clothing had a matching one—only a few weren't. They even had a picture of them on the body-size mirror on the inner wardrobe door. The desk was slightly messy with papers sprawled out and a framed picture of them sharing an ice-cream on it. She looked outside the window. A huge, cherry blossom tree came to sight—it was so big it was possible to see it from either Yaku’s room or Lev’s room. Scribbles and drawings on the wall, and promises made for each other—she smiled at them. She was worried that Lev would hurt Yaku with his slight oblivion at times—but it looks like she was worried for nothing. Nodding in satisfaction, she headed towards the living room—and noticed a ball of fluff curled up in Lev’s arms.

“Oh for heaven’s sake! Is that a CAT??!!” Alisa rushed over and picked up Yoku, who nuzzled her face and purred as Alisa petted him.

“How did Yoku warm up to you so quickly? He wouldn’t even look me in the eye—” Kuroo pouted.

“His name is Yoku? That’s adorable! Did you name him after Yaku?” Alisa gushed and asked Lev, who nodded his head. “Awww, Yokuuu~ Where’s mommy?” Alisa pushed her ears against Yoku, who slightly meowed in response, and a smirk played on her face. “Ohh, in Russia? You don’t say.....” She looked at Lev with a mischievous smile.

“DID ALISA JUST REFER YAKKUN AS YOKU’S MOM I—” Kuroo jumped up and started laughing so hard tears came out of his eyes.

“Kuroo san! I—” Lev stood up, blushing, only to hear a soft, stifled laugh. Kenma had both hands over his mouth, his face red from suppressing his laughter, obviously in vain.

“Onee-san!” Lev turned to Alisa with flushed cheeks, as Alisa smiled in response and nuzzled Yoku.

“Someone’s a shy father~” Alisa joked as she sat down, with Yoku purring contentedly in her lap. “So whatever was the matter? Kuroo told me that you were troubled about something.”

“Well, he’s coming back next, next week, but I just can’t come up with the perfect way to welcome him home.” Lev sighed.

“That’s easy. Just bring him to some fancy restaurant and buy him a bouquet of flowers.” Kuroo suggested what Lev thought to be cliché—he exchanged looks with Alisa, who gave him a disapproving shook of her head, much to Kuroo’s disappointment. 

“That’s tiring. I’d bring him to the arcade.” Kenma said quietly.

“That’s even more tiring!” Kuroo protested with Kenma sticking his tongue out in response.

“But Yaku san always complains about the food we eat outside—unhealthy, bland, not fresh enough, lacked taste and flavour and so on! There was always something to complain about—that’s why he did all the cooking.” Lev pointed out, but instead of a response, he was answered with silence, the pair gaping at him.

“What—?”

“KENMA I WANT TO EAT YOUR COOKING!!” Kuroo started whining.

“SHUT UP I DON’T EVEN COOK! YOU SHOULD BE THE ONE COOKING! YOU’RE THE ONE WHO BAKED ME AN APPLE PIE!”

“KENMA, BAKING AND COOKING ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS—AND THAT WAS A ONE-TIME SORT OF THING FOR THE CONFESSION!”

“Now, now! No fighting! And no yelling!” Alisa patted them both on the shoulder and waited for them to sit down—or sulk, before turning to Lev. “Lyovochka, can you recall times when Yaku looked extremely happy?”

“Uh....like when I get good grades? Or when I hug him?”

“Do you usually buy him gifts except on holidays or celebrations? Nothing extravagant—a small gesture of affection.”

“No, he’s usually the one to buy me gifts. He told me not to waste money, because he knew I’d go overboard once I started to do so.”

“Kenma, learn from Yakkun. Stop telling me to buy you games.”

“Oh, shut it.” Kenma grumbled and puffed his cheeks out.

“Well, I think Yaku isn’t really the ‘materialistic’ type, so I’m pretty sure he’d be happy just to see you!” Alisa held her hand up before Kuroo and Kenma started bickering again.

“I know, but I still want to get him a surprise!” Lev slouched against the couch.

“Well, I have just the idea!” Alisa took out her phone and started to scroll through it. “Lyovochka, look at this!” 

Lev looked at Alisa’s screen. “I’m sure Yaku san would be delighted...and will most probably kill me if I bought that. Just how many zeros are there?” 

“Don’t worry about it! My friend owns the shop; plus she owes me a favour. More importantly, I think this will be a really meaningful and memorable gift.” Alisa looked at Lev, who seemed doubtful and unconvinced. 

“Wait...I’ve been thinking about this for a while now. The date Yaku san told me was a tad bit familiar—it’s almost as if I’ve made a reminder for that day before Yaku san told me about his match in Russia....” Lev took out his phone and scanned through his calendar. “I knew it! That day—the day he’s coming back: it’s our anniversary!”

The three of them gasped loudly.

“NOW YOU’VE GOT TO GET IT, NO EXCUSES!” Alisa shrieked in excitement.

“I KNOW, I KNOW!” Lev laughed and pressed on the button ‘Customize’. Time ticked away, and soon Lev was seeing them off at the door. He couldn’t wait to give the gift to Yaku, wondering if he would be surprised or happy—or both.

\----------------------------------------------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (I wish I was a rich as them—must be nice living in such a large house with a huge cherry blossom tree outside the window iwi XD


	8. Final match

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It had been hard to endure, but soon Yaku would be back in Japan. After the last match, the celebration party such and such, he'll finally be able to see him and return to his cozy embrace and his soothing heartbeat....

\----------------------------------------------

“Lalala....”

Lev hummed a soft, melodious tune as he strolled down the street. He has just gotten out of a restaurant Alisa had recommended him to make reservations on, and was on his way to the flower shop.

The soft breeze grazed his cheek and the cherry blossom petals gracefully flitted about. They rustled for a while in the trees, before fluttering and gliding into the autumn breeze. The vivid sunlight shone upon him and greeted him with a warm, tender smile. A few pigeons flew by now and then, herding a gust of wind, tousling Lev’s neatly parted hair. But Lev had his Cheshire grin on his face the whole time; his smile further widening as a rich, redolent aroma wafted out the shop as he pushed the pulicid doors gently, the bell signaling the arrival of a customer ringing in his ears softly.

After waving goodbye to the florist, Lev quickened his pace, elated, as he stopped by a jewelry shop and came out with a small, extravagantly decorated bag with a ribbon on it. He peeked inside and nodded in satisfaction, and continued humming as he headed back home.

“Two more days~Two more days~Two more days to see my love~” Lev sang the melody of ‘Be our Guest’ but instead of the original lyrics, he replaced it with his own. He skipped to the bedroom and hid the gift in his drawer and took one last check in the mirror before throwing himself on the bed and checking his phone.

“Hmm....maybe I should give Yaku san a call!” Lev beamed with happiness as he turned on the camera and dialed Yaku’s number.

“What is it now, skyscraper?”

A sulky voice, yet unable to hide his affection, disturbed the hushed room. Yaku scratched the back of his head; his eyes darted around, not knowing where to look—as soon as his eyes met Lev, he immediately averted his gaze while his pale cheeks turned a shade of red. Lev hasn’t been texting him as frequently as he used to—and it was driving Yaku insane.

_ “Yaku, I’m sure he’s fine. He’s probably busy—” Takashi placed his hand over Yaku’s shoulder, only to be quickly flung away. _

_ “It’s not fine! He was so clingy just a week ago, but lately he barely texted me! W-What if he got into an accident?!” Yaku holds his head in frustration. He misses his mischievous emerald cat eyes, his Cheshire cat grin, his energetic aura, his....everything! _

_ “Yaku, calm down. You have photos of him right? You can just look at them to ease yourself.” _

_ “But photos are motionless!” _

_ “...Look, Yaku. There’s still a few more days. You just have to deal with it. Or you could just, you know, call him—” Takashi shrugged but jumped in surprise as Yaku flung his phone across the bed. _

_ “Darn right I’ll cope with it!” Yaku huffed and hid under the covers. _

__ Takashi, who was standing next to Yaku when Lev made the call, softly chuckled and shook his head. He silently praised Lev for being able to deal with their tsundere libero as he stood there motionlessly watching Yaku, who was fidgeting and shuffling in his seat.

“Yaku saaan! Today’s your last match, right?”

“Y-Yeah, I’m kind of nervous.” Yaku cleared his throat after stuttering over his words, sending a stern gaze at Takashi, who was quietly snickering in the corner.

“Don’t be! You know I’m always here rooting for you!”

Yaku smiled. Somehow, Lev’s voice made him feel at ease. It was annoyingly cheery, but he couldn’t imagine a life without it. “Yeah, I know. Thanks, Lev.”

“Yoku!!” Lev looked at the other side of the room as he gestured the cat towards him. “Come and talk with mommy!”

_ M-MOMMY?! _

__ Takashi bursted into laughter as Yaku jumped up with flushed cheeks. His face was so red you would have thought he had gotten a sunburn. Yaku clamped his hand over his mouth, his chestnut eyes flickering around the room. He plopped down, his hand still clamped over his mouth, as he began to process what had just happened.

“S-Stupid L-Lev! W-W-WHAT DO Y-YOU M-MEAN B-BY MOMM-MY?!” Yaku stuttered so much his words sounded like gibberish. Never, not even once in his life, had he stumbled over his words in such a manner. 

_ Lev sure is something else if Yaku can make all sorts of faces to him. I barely even see him smile genuinely, and when I did, it was when he was talking about Lev with an overdose of lovesickness in his eyes. _ ...Takashi thought in amusement. 

“Miaaaaao~” Yoku purred loudly and nuzzled Lev’s screen. Yaku stifled a giggle. 

_ These two hopeless idiots.....Although I’m in no place to say that. _

__ “Yaku san, Yoku said he misses you!” 

“Ugh, when have you learnt to communicate with cats?” Yoku puffed his cheeks out, trying to look irritated, but his expression immediately softened as Yoku purred again, this time, nuzzling Lev’s arm. “Mommy misses you too....I’ll be back soon, okay? Be a good boy and listen to daddy.....” Yaku blushed as he got the words out of his mouth. Words that he never thought he’d hear from his own lips. Takashi gaped at him in astonishment before turning to face the wall and bursted into uncontrollable laughter as he dropped to his knees slowly, his legs unable to support him.

“Yaku san! Did you just call me—” It took some time for Lev to react, but hues of pink quickly claimed territory of his cheeks, as a  _ huge  _ smile spread across his face. He was beaming with so much euphoria, Yoku gave him a judgemental meow before leaping off the bed and curling up in the corner. 

“No! It was just your hallucination! You heard  _ NOTHING _ , got it?” Yaku frantically tried to cover his flushed cheeks, the heat almost scorching him.

“”Yaku saaaan! I love you so so so much!” Lev flashed him an adorable smile—a smile Yaku missed terribly.

“Idiot! I love you too...” Yaku puffed his cheeks out, his eyes overflowing with affection.

“Alright, Yaku! Stop gushing and swooning over your boyfriend; coach’s calling for us!” Takashi looked up from his phone and called out to Yaku.

“OI SHUT UP!” Yaku snarled at Takashi, who held his hands up high and backed down slowly. Yaku let out a ‘tch’, followed by a sigh as he turned his gaze back to the screen unwillingly. “Well.....I’ve got to go now.......”

Lev bit his lip. Yaku kept his gaze directed to the ground, obviously sad that they had to say their goodbyes already. Yaku’s eyes wavered with hesitation. 

_ No...I can’t drag Yaku san down. He has to be in top condition! _

__ Lev took a breath and gave him his best smile. “I’ll be cheering for you, Yaku san~!” Yaku looked up. Lev was forcing a smile as he tried to hold his tears back. He was smiling even though he really misses Yaku. He was smiling every time he saw him on screen, yet he knew better than anyone that deep inside, he was so,  _ so,  _ lonely. Yet he never showed it to Yaku. He never frowned at him. He never tried to show his insecurities or worries; yet he demanded to shield Yaku from everything that would hurt him. Yaku bit his lip. Lev was always trying to take on everything himself—that darn selflessness of his. He could be tired and burdened with worries, yet he’d still smile at Yaku’s attacks and patiently tend to his mood swings and his complaints, trivial matters or not. Yaku had spent countless sleepless nights thinking to himself, ‘I don’t deserve him. He would leave me eventually...’ and yet Lev had proven his devotion to him over time, chasing his insecurities away completely.

_ Lev.....you stupid skyscraper. _

__ “You better be.” Yaku smirked at him before abruptly hanging up. His tears could no longer stay quiet as they forced their way out and slid down his cheeks. Yaku wiped them away quickly before taking a deep breath and joined his teammates, who were waiting for him outside.

...

‘Beeeeeep!’

A shrill whistle rang out, cheers from the crowd blaring. Lev sat in front of the TV with his brows furrowed as he looked at the scoreboard. Yaku’s team was 5 points behind, and the other team was only 2 points away from the match point. Yaku’s team looked rather worn out, especially Yaku. He supported his upper body with his hands on his knees, slightly bending down, out of breath. 

This was the final set. Both teams were tied, both with one set in their wrath, victorious. Yaku’s team was at a disadvantage now, and it seems like the crowd who had been cheering for his team was now cheering for the other team, further pressuring Yaku’s team. The other team specialized in ‘control’, forcing Yaku to sprint all over the court to receive, and that clearly had worn him out. Nonetheless, the determination in his eyes never faltered.

“Yaku san, hang in there! PUSH AHEAD!!!” Lev screamed, his heart thumping loudly against his chest. Yoku meows loudly, his tail furiously banging the floor in rhythmic beats. 

It was impossible for Yaku to hear him—illogical. Yet, as if sensing his anxious cries and his heartfelt support, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. When his eyes fluttered open again, a new light flickered in them. 

_ Concentration. _

__ “Focus on the opponents in front of you, and  _ leave the back court to me _ !” Yaku shouted as his teammates looked at him in surprise. The crowd went wild, cheering for the Cheegles again, as his teammates looked at one another and broke into a smile.

“You heard him! Get into position!” Takashi clapped his hands twice as the team immediately shuffled to their position, catching up slowly as they reached the match point, the other team one point behind them.

Yaku stared at the ball intensely. He watched as the ball moved in midair slowly, pinpointing which part of the court the ball would land on. 

_ Left? Or right? _

__ He watched as his teammates jumped up, ready to block the ball. For a split second, he saw the spiker direct his gaze on a spot on their side.

_ Left! _

__ The ball flew past the blocker’s grasp and landed on Yaku’s forearms with a loud thud as it sprung upwards.

“Takashi!” Yaku hollered as he lost his footing from the force of the ball and fell backwards. Takashi jumped up and slammed the ball with force—

_ BAAM! _

The crowd went silent. Too silent; the deafening silence was  _ killing  _ him. He watched as the line judges looked up, their fingers clasped around the flagpole.

_ Please... _

__ They extended their arm, the flag hovering above the floor.

“In!”

The Cheegles cried in elation as they hugged one another. Yaku got up and patted the dust off, but was quickly pushed to the ground again as his teammates ran over and toppled over him, thanking Yaku over and over again.

“Damnit, get off me!” Yaku laughed as he struggled beneath the crying pile.

Lev’s hand flew to his mouth as tears spilled and rolled down his cheeks uncontrollably. He knew how much this match meant to Yaku, and how hard he had been training for victory. Hearts connected, their happiness is mutual. He watched as Yaku held the resplendent trophy in his arms and bowed to the crowd. Lev was still frozen in position, his tears sliding down was the only movement. Yoku gaped at him with irritation. He sprung up and jumped into Lev’s lap, meowing fiercely, his tail thumping on his phone lying quietly beside him on the couch.

“R-Right, I need to congratulate him—”

Lev unlocked his phone, his fingers still shaking, when an incoming call display filled the screen. 

“Lev! Did you—why are you crying?!”

“Y-YAKU SAN—”

Lev cried even harder, leaving Yaku with his mouth wide open, loss for words. Takashi peered at the screen and laughed softly at the sight of Lev bawling as he ushered the rest of the team back to the hotel they were staying at, giving Yaku some privacy. 

“Yaku san....you were so cool.....!” Lev sniffled and spoke slowly, careful not to slur his words. 

“Geez, Lev. Stop crying. My team won, remember?” Yaku giggled softly, a tender smile forming on his lips. “I’ll be able to see you soon. There’s the celebration party tomorrow and we’ll leave the morning after tomorrow, 9am.”

“Make sure you get some sleep on the plane, okay?”

Yaku cocked his head. That was sudden—and a bit in advance.

“Why?”

“It’s a se~cret~” Lev stuck his tongue out mischievously. Yaku blinked a few times before bursting into laughter. Lev’s viridescent cat eyes were gleaming playfully, his Cheshire cat grin seemingly hiding a secret. Yaku nodded in response.

“Yaku!!! Are you done yet?” Takashi hollered from a distance.

“FOR THE LOVE OF KARMA I’M COMING!” Yaku looked up from the screen and yelled at Takashi. “Sorry, Lev...They insisted on celebrating before the official celebration party.” Yaku groaned.

“It’s okay! Have fun!!!” Lev waved dismissively. Yaku eyed him with suspicion, but shrugged it off.

“Love you.” 

Yaku hung up, stuffing his phone into his pocket as he hurried over to an impatient Takashi.

_ “Yaku, why don’t you ever say goodbye to Lev?” Takashi asked him one day after volleyball practice. _

_ “Huh? There’s nothing wrong with that, right?” _

_ “But...wouldn’t he feel....I mean, it’s kind of impolite to do so, you know? Just hanging up abruptly without even saying goodbye.” _

_ Yaku kicked a nearby pebble. Takashi walked beside him silently, waiting for an answer. _

_ “.....because I don’t want to say goodbye to him.” _

_ Yaku whispered softly into the wind. Takashi stopped walking and looked at him in surprise. Yaku continued walking, ignoring him. _

_ “I don’t want to have the slightest feeling that I’m leaving his side...” _

__ Takashi watched as Yaku sprinted towards him, lost in thought.

_ No goodbyes this time too... _

...

Lev scooped Yoku up as he hummed and headed towards the bedroom, ignoring Yoku’s protests. With Yoku still in his arms, he plopped himself down on the bed. He held Yoku up before pulling him in for an embrace, wishing that time would pass faster for the lovers to reunite.

_ Faster....faster..... _

_ Even faster... _

\----------------------------------------------


	9. In your arms again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yaku returns to Japan and the two lovers finally reunites, with Yaku ignorant of the surprise Lev had prepared waiting for him...

\----------------------------------------------

_ 9 hours and 50 minutes. _

__ Soon he’ll be able to see Lev. All he had to do was endure another 9 hours and 50 minutes. Yaku took a deep breath as he settled down and buckled his seatbelt. He looked out the tiny window as the plane began to take off. Slowly, at first, then the scenery blurred as the airport shrunk in his vision, gradually out of sight. A whizz of white fluff—the clouds. They were high up in the sky already, and Yaku turned his gaze away from the window as he shuffled into a comfortable position and closed his eyes.

Soon he’ll be able to see him.

He’ll be able to feel his warmth and hear his heartbeats as he snuggled up to his chest. He’ll be wrapped in those arms again—strong, abnormally long arms that could only belong to Lev, and he’ll be able to feel Lev running his fingers through his hair tenderly as he dug his nails into his shirt, refusing to let go. He’ll be able to cup his pale cheeks, and stare at his Cheshire cat grin as long as he liked. He’ll be able to hear his energetic, ballsy tone, and be scooped up in his arms, or picked up from the ground to be spun around, and pulled in for a tight embrace. He’ll be able to do so much—all the things he had missed dearly. He can’t wait to stroke his silvery gray hair, stare into his viridescent cat eyes; he can’t—

He can’t wait to see him.

_ Lev. _

__ ...

_ 4 hours, 23 minutes and 46 seconds. _

__ Lev hummed a cheerful tune as he sat and waited in the airport’s cafe. He looked at the sign, clasped under his arm. His height would have been easily noticed, and the sign would be utterly unnecessary, but he still did it anyways. He missed Yaku so much: his silky chestnut hair, his hazel brown eyes, his adorable soft cheeks, his satiny lips....his presence. 

He had been living the past few weeks, drowning in his hallucinations. He needed to see him—to feel him, to ensure he’s really  _ there _ . He needed to wrap him in his arms tightly, and stroke his hair as he gazed into his eyes lovingly. He needed to bury his head in his soft chestnut curls, drowning himself in his cologne. He needed to  _ be with him _ . He needed his warmth. His presence. His voice.

His whole existence.

_ Please.... _

_ Hurry up. _

__ ...

_ 1 hour and 2 minutes. _

__ Yaku tapped his foot impatiently. 

_ Why haven’t we arrived yet?! _

__ It felt like he had been sleeping for 24 hours straight when it had only been merely 5 hours after his meal. Yaku grumbled under his breath, his foot furiously tapping on the ground. Takashi, who was sitting next to him, groaned as he took off his headphones.

“Stop tapping your darn foot! We know you want to see Lev; but the plane won’t go any faster despite your furious tapping, so stop it!” Takashi huffed before putting on his headphones again. Yaku sulks and pulls the blanket he got from the flight attendant over his head. His hand reached up and slowly glided over his lips. How long has it been since Lev kissed him? He doesn’t remember. But he missed it terribly; he missed the world falling around them as Lev kissed his insecurities away, the soft breeze and the sense of serenity he brought upon him, and the melodious harmony in his head—a joyous tune indeed.

Yaku bit his lip and sighed softly. He missed him so badly—it hurts to breathe without his presence. 

_ Lev....Lev......what have I become? I need you with me.......It hurts without you... _

__ ...

_ 1 minute. _

__ Lev’s pulse quickened. He tapped his foot impatiently, the tapping speeding up with each passing second. Never had a minute felt like hours to him, and never had his heart thumped against his chest so loudly just by standing, loitering near the waiting area. His eyes darted around. 

_ Is it me, or are everyone moving like sloths? Slurred and slow....argh! Why is a minute taking forever?! _

__ Yaku could hardly contain his excitement as he shuffled restlessly in his seat, Takashi shaking his head as he sighed and grinned at Yaku’s sparkling eyes. He didn’t even look this elated when he held the trophy in his hands. Yaku’s fingers were trembling slightly as his fingers gripped the seat tightly. He was unfazed by the sudden jerks as the plane travelled down the runway—all he could hear was the hammering of his heart as it thumped against his chest.

_ 3........ _

__ Lev stared at the gates intensely. Any moment now...

_ 2.............. _

__ Yaku ran as fast as his legs could take him, his teammates strolling leisurely as they waved to the small figure in motion. Yaku could barely feel his legs anymore—but he couldn’t bother to even take notice. He only needed to run faster—run into his arms.

_ 1... _

__ Lev watched as the crowd of people in the waiting area began to swarm around the gates, sensing a familiar figure dashing towards the crowd in the corner of his eye. He looked up just to catch a glimpse of the small figure as he disappeared into the crowd. Lev sprung up from the pillar he was leaning on and held up his sign, his eyes searching the crowd frantically. He was about to call out for him when he heard a familiar voice—the voice he missed  _ so so dearly. _

__ “STUPID SKYSCRAPER YOU’RE TALL ENOUGH I SEE YOU!” 

The small figure, in an oversized hoodie and shades, squeezed through the crowd and flung himself right into Lev’s open arms. The shades dropped to the ground, revealing his teary, hazel brown eyes. Lev tilted his chin and kissed him aggressively, further pulling his hood to cover Yaku’s face. It was only when Yaku gently tapped on his shoulder did he, unwillingly, let go.

“Let’s get out of here first. My teammates will be out the gates soon, and they’re likely to be surrounded by the paparazzi as soon as they step out of the gates. The coach gave me consent to leave first; I’ll have to be stuck with the cameras and flashlight if not—”

“The Cheegles are here! Quick, get into position! Get a clear shot of—wait, where’s the libero?!” 

A commotion stirred near the gates. Just as Yaku had said, his teammates were surrounded by cameras and microphones shoved in their face the second they stepped out. Lev covered Yaku’s ears, blocking out the sound of the shutters and yells demanding for the libero.

“Let’s get out of here.” Yaku mouthed.

\---

“Meeeow~”

“Yoku! Did you miss me? Hmmm?” Yaku knelt down and picked up the ball of fluff, nuzzling against his cheeks as Yoku purred in delight. Lev set down the bouquet of roses he had gotten for Yaku on the dining table and closed the door behind him.

“What’s with the fancy dinner and the bouquet tonight?” Yaku suddenly whirled around and asked him.

“H-Huh? Nothing...” Lev shrugged nonchalantly, missing the slight hint of sadness in Yaku’s eyes as he turned his back to him. “I’ll take a shower first.”

Yaku nodded as his eyes followed his tall, slender build until it disappeared into the bathroom. He picked up Yoku and stared into his eyes. Yaku sighed.

“I guess he forgot about it after all.....”

Yaku bit his lip. Somehow, he was hoping that Lev would have remembered about their anniversary—and that it was today. He looked at the clock as it striked 9 before gazing at his reflection in Yoku’s glassy eyes.

“Daddy forgot today’s a special day, didn’t he, Yoku?”

“Miao!” As if in disagreement, Yoku swished his tail furiously. Yaku gave a weak smile before letting Yoku on the ground again. The extravagant dinner, the huge bouquet of roses....he thought it was Lev’s surprise for him. But his detached response was enough for Yaku to confirm that the ridiculously tall behemoth had indeed forgotten about their anniversary. 

“Stupid Lev...”

\---

Lev waited in his room behind the door as he heard the gentle splashing of the shower gradually died down, his body trembling visibly. He held his breath as the footsteps grew louder; his heart pounding on his chest so loudly he swore he could hear every  _ thump _ as it dissolved into the moonlit surroundings. 

Slowly, the door creaks open, letting in a luminous ray of light.

“Lev—hm? Lev?” Yaku slipped into the room with a towel on his head, closing the door behind him and scanned the seemingly empty room—

“Uwaah!”

Yaku yelped as a pair of strong arms scooped him up, his towel fluttering to the ground. His reflection drowned in hues of green, the fragrance of his shampoo escaping into the night air as the towel lay on the floor forgotten.

“Stupid Lev, what are you up to this time—”

Lev silenced his lips as he pressed his lips against them, his hand supporting the nape of his neck as he shuffled towards the bed, sending a shade of rosy pink across his cheeks. He let Yaku down gently on the bed before pulling away gently. Yaku cocked his head. Lev? Breaking away from a kiss? Yaku furrowed his brow as he shot a questioning look at Lev.

Lev reached inside his drawer and took out a small box. He looked at Yaku—mesmerizing. He was sitting on the mattress with the sheets messily arranged around him. The oversized shirt slumped to one side, exposing his bare, left shoulder to the sapphire moonlight. Cherry blossom petals flitted about in the room, some nestled in his tousled cappuccino hair, some made do with the bed, decorating the mattress with hues of pink. His hair wasn’t completely dry yet; water dripped from his end curls as it made way and trickled down his collarbones. 

_ Spellbinding....his innocent gaze almost seemed seductive. _

__ “Yaku san, happy anniversary~” Lev whispered in a hushed voice as he removed the lid from the box. Two matching rings glistened in the moonlight, the clarity of the carvings on the inside of the shank glinted—’Lev’ on one ring, and ‘Yaku’ on the other.

“Oh my gosh....you remembered....” Yaku’s vision blurred as tears spilled out from his entrancing eyes with his hand over his mouth. He was in a state of shock, surprise, joy, bliss—overwhelmed by a fusion of different emotions. It felt surreal—Lev’s eyes dancing mischievously in the vibrant moonlight, yet his Cheshire cat grin was rather....gentle. His hair was supposed to be a shade of anaemic gray, yet it displayed hues of luxurious silver. His neatly parted bangs fell out of place as he inched slowly towards Yaku, reaching for his hand.

“Of course I remembered.” Lev smiled at him with the most tender gaze, his lips curling up adorably—eyes that belonged to Yaku, and lips that brought up promises of the future. It belonged to him—to him only. Lev picked up his hand and gently slid the ring with the carvings ‘Lev’ on his left ring finger. Yaku blinked a few times in surprise before pulling his hand back with flushed cheeks.

“S-Stupid! That’s where you wear the ring for marriage!”

“I know.” Lev smiled softly. “This is a ‘romantic promise’ ring. You can wear it around your neck on a chain if it gets in the way; but for now, keep it on.” Lev leans in and kisses his hand before looking up with a devilish smirk.

“Don’t worry, Yaku san, I’ll definitely get a better engagement ring for the proposal.”

As if responding with anticipation, Yaku’s cheeks burned a bright scarlet red as he dove under the sheets, trying to bury his embarrassment. 

“S-Stupid Lev....”

That was the last thing he said before Lev slipped under the sheets with him. He sprung up and returned to his sitting posture as Lev closed in on him with his arms wrapped around him protectively. Their lips met each other’s with affection, with the sheets draped over the two lovers. 

It was a hungry kiss, bubbled in desire as their hands found their way to each other. Wanting to make up for all the loss time—all the distance they had been apart. Lev tilted his head and pulled Yaku in closer, running his fingers through his pale, silky hair. Lev closed his eyes as the familiar sensation invaded his lips, stripping his ability to think straight. Yaku clung onto his shirt, refusing to let him go—refusing to let his beloved slip away from his grasp again.

They pulled apart, staring into each other’s eyes. Yaku playfully pushed Lev onto the mattress as he flung the sheets away, letting the sheets unveil and expose them in the moonlight as it fluttered and landed on Yaku’s back. The azure moonlight shone upon Yaku, his face half unsheltered from the cerulean lustre. His soft curls swayed in the breeze as he brushed a cherry blossom petal away from his face, his fingertips grazing his cheeks, and watched in amusement as a shade of sakura trailed his touch. 

“Yaku san—”

“Shh.” This time, it was Yaku who silenced Lev as he gently placed his finger on Lev’s lips. Leaning in, he blinked slowly as his lips came in contact with the finger on Lev’s lips; and as if teasing him, he let out a breath slowly. The hot yet gentle wave of sensation collided with Lev’s lips, driving him insane. Since when did Yaku get so bold? Yaku, entertained by Lev’s flustered reaction, let out a soft giggle before pulling his hand away, allowing himself to lose his sanity in Lev’s velvet lips.

The room dissolved and fell away, with the same melodious tune he had heard a year ago playing in his head. They drowned in hues of starless night skies, swam in the serene depths of the night sea and lost themselves in the irresistible warmth of their lover, locked in a tight embrace. A shower of cherry blossom petals fluttered around them, as if bringing them back to the euphoric night just a year ago. Everything seemed to be the same—lying in a bed of sakura, the autumn breeze enveloping them, and the sapphire moonlight drowning them in bliss; but both knew there was something different tonight. Growing affection, unlimited devotion, and stronger desires—no, there was something much more—much,  _ much _ more than that.

An eternal promise. 

The promise of a future ahead.

Yaku brushed away the last petal on Lev’s face gently, with shaking fingertips, as if afraid to wake him up. He stole a glance at his slumbering form before nuzzling against his chest and drifted off to the dreams with their fingers intertwined, the emerald on their rings glistening in the moonlight.

_ Я люблю тебя, Хайба. (I love you, Haiba.) _

\----------------------------------------------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear wholesome human beings,  
> (>n<) (First of all, I am so sorry my update schedule was so messed up iwi honestly I was shocked that it still got support from you guys (my schedule was so mess up I got to a point I almost gave up on myself) (but you wonderful wholesome human beings ;-;-;-; argh my weak heart iwi)   
> (Second of all, I'M SO GLAD Y'ALL STAYED WITH ME TILL THE END QAQ I GENUINELY HOPE Y'ALL LIKED IT QWQ UWU   
> And again, it would be my utmost honour if this was to your liking and caught your interest; thank you so so much!!! (aaaaa honestly you guys are the best ;-;)  
> And,,,,if it's not too much to ask for,,,your support is greatly appreciated!! Have a great day because you deserve one uwu (grovels in gratitude)


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